Water drain structure for railway car door arrangement

ABSTRACT

A railway car door of the sliding plug type is positioned within the door frame arrangement in the side of a car. The door frame arrangement comprises horizontally spaced side posts, an upper horizontally extending side plate structure and a lower side sill. The upper side plate structure includes a U-shaped trough which terminates adjacent corners of the door post and includes downwardly extending openings which communicate with a tubular drain at each door post arranged to drain rain water downwardly below the door opening of the car. The tubular drain element also is constructed in a manner to effectively cooperate with adjacent vertical edge structures of the door to prevent water from entering the car through the door framing structure.

United States Patent [191 Shaver et al.

[ Oct. 30, 1973 [75] Inventors: William R. Shaver, Hammond;

Ernest J. Nagy, Munster, both of Ind.

[73] Assignee: Pullman Incorporated, Chicago, Ill.

[22] Filed: Mar. 20, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 236,050

9/1950 Madland ..105/409 9/1967 Johansson 105/409 PrimaryExaminerDrayton E. Hoffman Att0rneyHi1mond O. Vogel et al.

[57] ABSTRACT A railway car door of the sliding plug type is positionedwithin the door frame arrangement in the side of a car. The door framearrangement comprises horizontally spaced side posts, an upperhorizontally extending side plate structure and a lower side sill. Theupper side plate structure includes a U-shaped trough which terminatesadjacent corners of the door post and includes downwardly extendingopenings which communicate with a tubular drain at each door postarranged to drain rain water downwardly below the door opening of thecar. The tubular drain element also is constructed in a manner toeffectively cooperate with adjacent vertica] edge structures of the doorto prevent water from entering the car through the door framingstructure.

5 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures WATER DRAIN STRUCTURE FOR RAILWAY CAR DOORARRANGEMENT CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT The present application isrelated to applicants U.S. Pat. No. 3,653,153 patented Apr. 4, 1972.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The field of artto which this invention pertains is railway boxcars having door openingstructures of a type adapted to contain a laterally movable and slidabledoor.

2. Description of the Prior Art The prior art pertaining particularly todoor opening structures in boxcars is exemplified in U.S. Pat. Nos.2,522,761, Sept. 19, 1950; 2,580,804, Jan. I, 1952; 2,780,180, Feb. 5,1957; and 3,339,323, Sept. 5, 1967.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is the prime object of the present inventionto provide an improved water drain arrangement for removing rain waterfrom a door frame arrangement and for preventing the entrance of suchmoisture into the interior of the car. The invention is directed towarda door frame having horizontally spaced vertically extending door posts,a lower side sill and an upper plate structure defining the dooropening. A sliding and laterally movable door is adapted to fit into thedoor opening structure and includes at opposite ends vertical edgestructures of a particular configuration cooperating with the doorframing structure for effectively sealing the door opening against theentrance of moisture. The door framing structure is provided withvertically extending tubular drains positioned in corners provided bythe door posts, the drains being adapted to direct moisture downwardlybelow the car. The top plate structure is provided with a horizontallyextending trough which is apertured to communicate with the tubulardrains. The tubular drains also have a configuration which incooperation with the edge structures provide a labyrinth type ofshielding or sealing arrangement designed to prevent water from enteringthrough the door opening when the door is in a closed position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS I FIG. 1 is a side elevational viewwith portions thereof broken away illustrating an improved door framearrangement and water drain construction for a laterally movable railwaycar door;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken substantially along theline 2--2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary isometric view of a portion of arailway car door and associated door frame arrangement;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken substantially along theline 44 of FIG. 1, and

FIG. 5 is a detail cross sectional view taken substantially along theline 55 of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now particularly toFIG. 1, a portion of a railway car body is generally designated by thereference character and includes a side wall 11 containing a dooropening 12. The door opening 12 is defined by a framing arrangementwhich includes an upper side plate structure 13 disposed at the top ofthe door opening 12 and a side sill 14 positioned at the lower end ofsaid opening. The side wall also includes a plurality of metal side wallsheets 15 which may be of conventional construction of a type utilizingin railway car structures. The door opening 12 is also defined by a pairof horizontally spaced vertically extending door posts 16, each of whichhas a first vertical flange l7 and a second vertical flange 18 extendingoutwardly substantially normal to the flange 17 to which it isconnected. The point of connection of the flanges l7 and 18 forms acorner recess horizontally spaced from the adjacent door opening.

At each of the corner recesses there is provided a vertical T-shapeddrain element generally designated at 19. Each drain element 19comprises a third flange 20 connected to the first flange l7 andextending substantially normal with respect thereto. Each drain element19 also includes a fourth flange 21 connected to the third flange 20 andextending normal with respect thereto or substantially parallel withrespect to the first vertical flange 17. Each T-shaped drain element 19also is provided with a fifth vertically extending flange 22 forming ineffect a continuation of the third flange 20. The railway car door 23 isprovided with inner wall sheathing'24 and has connected thereto aplurality of horizontally extending and vertically spaced hat shapedmembers 25. The door 23 is of the type more specifically described anddisclosed in the aforementioned patent and the operation of the sameneed not be described in detail in the present application. Generally,the door is provided with an upper roller and shaft assembly 26 and alower shaft and roller assembly 27. Thus, the door 23, as shown in FIG.1, is adapted to pivot on the assemblies 26 and 27 with respect to thedoor opening 12. The rod and crank arm assembly 28 includes a rod 29having at its upper end a roller 28 of conventional constructionassociated with a crank arm also conventional, which is adapted topermit the door to move laterally upwardly and inwardly with respect tothe door opening. The assembly 28 is also provided at its lower endswith a suitable crank arm arrangement and roller slide assembly 31 alsoof conventional design. The lower end of the assembly 27 is alsoprovided with such a suitable slide assembly 31. The door 23 alsoincludes horizontal lock bolts 32 and vertical lock bolts 33 which areactuated by means of a door actuating mechanism (not shown) enclosed ina housing 34 which supports a handle 35 manually adapted to move theactuating mechanism to reciprocate the lock bolts for locking the doorin the closed position by the lock bolts engaging suitable apertures(not shown) in the flanges 18. The handle 35 is also adapted to move alinkage assembly 36, as best described in the aforementioned patent,which in turn rotates the rod and crank arm assembly 28 by moving thedoor inwardly and outwardly laterally with respect to the door opening.A track 37 is positioned below the door opening 12 and is supported onthe side sill l4 and supports in sliding relation the slide assemblies31. The side plate structure l3 includes a horizontally extendingflanged member 38, as best shown in FIG. 4, the same being suitablyconnected to a second flange member 39 also extending horizontally abovethe door opening. The member 39 includes a flange portion 39' and themember 38 includes a downwardly extending flange 40. A horizontallyextending U-shaped trough 41 is connected to the lower portion of theflange 40 and extends across the upper end of the door opening. As bestshown in FIG. 5, the trough 41 is provided at opposite ends withdownwardly extending openings 42, adapted to communicate with passages42', as best shown in FIG. 2, provided by the T-shaped drain elements19. A horizontally extending flanged retainer member 43 is suitablyconnected to the flange 39' and extends across the door opening forconfining the upper end of the rod and crank assembly 28 and roller 30.As best shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the door posts 16 also include flanges44 and 45, the latter being suitably connected to the side wall sheets15.

The door 23 is also provided at opposite ends with edge structuresgenerally indicated at 46 and each edge structure includes a verticalend wall 47 projecting laterally outwardly and normal to the wallsheathing 24. Outer walls 46 are connected to the walls 47 and extendparallel to the flanges 17 and are in substantially flush relation tothe door posts 16 in the closed position of the door. Sixth flanges 49are connected to the outer walls 48 and extend inwardly substantiallyparallel to the flanges 18 and in close proximity thereto. The sixthflanges 49 are connected to a vertically extending inner wall 50, inturn also connected to each of the walls 47. Thus, the end structureprovides a tubular or box-like section, having great strength andsealing ability. As particularly disclosed in FIGS. 2 and 4, the flanges49 project inwardly with respect to the inner walls 50 to formvertically extending lips 51. An angle shaped seal 52 has one flange 53connected to the wall 47 of each of the end structures and anotherflange 54 in sealing engagement with each of the flanges 17 during theclosed position of the door.

THE OPERATION The present type of laterally movable and sliding door 23is moved from the closed position shown in FIG. 1 by moving the handle35 in a manner wherein the actuating mechanism within the housing 34moves the bolts 32 and 33 out of disengagement with the door frameconsisting of the door posts 16, side plate structure 13 and side silll4. Simultaneously the linkage arrangement 36 rotates the rod and crankassembly 28 whereupon the cranks move the door at the right hand side inFIG. 1 outwardly, the same pivoting on the assemblies 26 and 27. Thetrack 37 is curved from the assembly 27 outwardly and thus the door cannow be moved to the right of the opening on the track 37 to an open outof the way position. This is more specifically described in theaforementioned patent.

For the purpose of the present invention, the advantages thereof arewhen the door is in the closed position as shown in FIG. 2. Assuming nowthat rain water is directed against the outer side of the railway car,any water which passes between the flanges 49 and 18 generally willimmediately drop downwardly because of the circuitous path afforded bythe lips 41 and flange 22 with a very small portion if any of themoisture reaching the angle shaped seal element 52, which further is insealing engagement with respect to the flange 17 on each side of thedoor. Thus, the T-shaped seal element 19 with its flange 22 incooperation with the lip 51, provide for a maze-like, labyrinth orcircuitous path for the moisture or rain so that penetration toward thesealing element 52 is largely prevented. The upper end of the door isalso protected by means of the U-shaped channel 41 which catches any ofthe moisture or rain water which might enter into the cracks between thedoor and the structure 13 above the upper end of the door frame. Theinner wall 24, as best shown in FIG. 4, is also provided with a flangeor lip 41 which, as the door is closed, is moved into the closedposition, overlaps an upwardly extending flange 42" of the channel 41 sothat any moisture is directed down into the trough 41 and from there itis directed downwardly through the openings 42 into the passage 42' ofthe drain element which, as indicated at 53 in FIG. 1, terminates belowthe door opening so that the water is directed downwardly below theopening and thus will not enter through the opening into the car proper.Thus, the novel drain arrangement shown protects the upper end of thedoor and door opening and the drain arrangement at each of the cornersof the door post protects the sides of the door and side post structureagainst any substantial amount of rain water or other moisture enteringinto the car.

We claim:

1. In a railway car having a side wall including a door opening, saidopening being defined by a side sill, horizontally spaced door posts andan upper side plate structure, a track on said car below said opening,and a door slidably supported on said track and movable into saidopening for closing the same, the improvement of a water drainarrangement comprising:

a first flange on each door post connected to and extending verticallywith said side wall,

each first flange having one end adjacent to said door opening,

a second flange connected to an opposite end of each said first flangeand extending laterally outwardly with respect to said side wall,

said first and second flanges forming recesses on opposite sides of saidopening having comers at the connection of said flanges,

said door having vertically extending horizontally spaced edgestructures substantially disposed within said recesses in the closedposition of said door,

tubular drain elements supported on said posts adjacent said comers andextending substantially vertically the length of said openings,

a horizontally extending trough supported on said side plate structurehaving communication with said drain elements for draining waterdownwardly below said door opening,

said drain elements each comprising a member having a T-shaped crosssection including third and fourth flanges respectively connected tosaid first and second flanges and extending vertically therewith, and

a fifth vertical flange on each said T-shaped element projectinglaterally outwardly relative to said first flange and substantiallyparallel to said second flange,

said fifth flange extending in close proximity to an adjacent edgestructure of said door.

2. The invention in accordance with claim 1, said edge structures ofsaid door comprising,

vertical end walls extending laterally outwardly with respect to saiddoor opening and substantially parallel to said second flange,

vertical seal members connected to said vertical end path configurationin said recesses.

walls sealingly engaging Said first flfl g in 4. The invention inaccordance with claim 3, said closed Position of Said dooredge structurefurther including: The invention in accordance with claim Said verticalinner walls connecting said sixth flanges and edge structures of saiddoor further includrng: said vertical end walls of Said door,

vertical outer walls connected to said vertical end walls and extendingsubstantially normal with respect thereto, and oflter 4 an inwardlyturned vertical sixth flange connected to The mvenuon accordance F fsfild said outer walls and extending substantially parallel Sixthflanges having Vemcally extendlng P p l to and in close proximity tosaid second flanges to a d y with respect to said inner walls. providewith said T-shaped element a circuitous said inner walls extendingsubstantially parallel to

1. In a railway car having a side wall including a door opening, saidopening being defined by a side sill, horizontally spaced door posts andan upper side plate structure, a track on said car below said opening,and a door slidably supported on said track and movable into saidopening for closing the same, the improvement of a water drainarrangement comprising: a first flange on each door post connected toand extending vertically with said side wall, each first flange havingone end adjacent to said door opening, a second flange connected to anopposite end of each said first flange and extending laterally outwardlywith respect to said side wall, said first and second flanges formingrecesses on opposite sides of said opening having corners at theconnection of said flanges, said door having vertically extendinghorizontally spaced edge structures substantially disposed within saidrecesses in the closed position of said door, tubular drain elementssupported on said posts adjacent said corners and extendingsubstantially vertically the length of said openings, a horizontallyextending trough supported on said side plate structure havingcommunication with said drain elements for draining water downwardlybelow said door opening, said drain elements each comprising a memberhaving a T-shaped cross section including third and fourth flangesrespectively connected to said first and second flanges and extendingvertically therewith, and a fifth vertical flange on each said T-shapedelement projecting laterally outwardly relative to said first flange andsubstantially parallel to said second flange, said fifth flangeextending in close proximity to an adjacent edge structure of said door.2. The invention in accordance with claim 1, said edge structures ofsaid door comprising, vertical end walls extending laterally outwardlywith respect to said door opening and substantially parallel to saidsecond flange, vertical seal members connected to said vertical endwalls sealingly engaging said first flanges in the closed position ofsaid door.
 3. The invention in accordance with claim 2, said edgestructures of said door further including: vertical outer wallsconnected to said vertical end walls and extending substantially normalwith respect thereto, and an inwardly turned vertical sixth flangeconnected to said outer walls and extending substantially parallel toand in close proximity to said second flanges to provide with saidT-shaped element a circuitous path configuration in said recesses. 4.The invention in accordance with claim 3, said edge structure furtherincluding: vertical inner walls connecting said sixth flanges and saidvertical end walls of said door, said inner walls extendingsubstantially parallel to said outer walls.
 5. The invention inaccordance with claim 4, said sixth flanges having vertically extendinglips projecting inwardly with respect to said inner walls.